Such cutting tools are assembled by inserting a male coupling member within a female coupling member and coaxially coupling them together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,673 discloses a tool including a tool body and a cutting portion detachably mounted on the tool body. The tool body includes flutes formed in its outer surface, and a pair of forward projections at a front end of the tool body. The cutting portion includes front flutes, and a pair of recesses extending circumferentially in communication with respective ones of the front flutes. To connect the cutting portion to the tool body, the cutting portion and tool body are brought together so that the projections enter the front flutes.
The cutting portion and tool body are coaxially coupled together in a self clamping fashion by rotating them relative to each other until the front flutes are aligned with the rear flutes and the projections enter the recesses to form therewith a bayonet coupling. The projections bend elastically in a radial direction during the relative rotation between the cutting portion and tool body. Repeated connecting/disconnecting of the cutting portion to/from the tool body reduces the elasticity of the projections thereby weakening the elasticity of the projections until eventually the cutting portion and tool body can no longer be coupled together in a self clamping fashion.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a cutting tool of the type having a cutting portion and tool body that are coaxially coupled together in a self clamping fashion that significantly reduces or overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.